Best exercise to burn chest fat - Best fat burn exercises
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Updated: May 12,2023
7 Best Chest Fat Burning Exercises (From a Trainer)
Having excess fat around your chest may bring insecurities not just physically but may also compromise your health.
A study revealed that the more fat a person stores in their chest, the more likely they are to develop heart disease.
With that said, we've come up with the best chest exercises for burning fat and what approach you can do to melt not just your fats but your worries away.
Can Upper Body Workouts Help Reduce Chest Fat?
Upper body workouts can help reduce chest fat by mixing chest-specific exercises with other workouts that target supporting muscles around the chest area.
Crafting and implementing a practical workout routine to trim chest fat can be fun and exciting.
The key is to learn what exercises you can work with and give it a test to know what can work best for you.
Are There Exercises That Target Chest Fat?
Yes, some exercises may target chest fat.
But, targeted exercise may not alone get rid of stubborn fat deposits in your chest. Undoubtedly, it can help.
Lifting weights is just one of the many exercises that put a squeeze on your chest fat.
Also, these chest workouts emphasize focus on the major muscles found in the chest: the pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, and serratus anterior [1].
If you create a habit of doing chest exercises every day, you can tone your chest muscles and reduce fat at the same time to make a firmer, sculpted look.
What Are Chest Specific Workouts To Shed Fat?
There are specific chest workouts for fat burning, which you can do with or without any equipment.
Here are the top chest exercises:
1. Push-Ups.
The push-up is a classic, proven exercise that works on your chest and upper limb. It targets your pectoralis muscles or "pecs'' and the serratus anterior muscles or "wing" muscles under your armpit.
Push-Ups are effective exercises for building upper body strength as it also engages the core and the lower back.
Steps To Get It Done.
Equipment : None.
Position by getting down on all fours, your palms resting on the floor, arms placed slightly wider than your shoulder. Straighten your legs behind. Next, slowly lower your body and maintain your chest above the floor. Hold for a few seconds, then press upward to push your body back up, forming a high plank position.
Repeat as many reps as possible.
2. Standing Cable Fly.
Standing cable fly is a machine exercise that primarily targets your pecs and engages muscles on your upper limbs.
Some cable fly variations may not require any special equipment, while others may need different types of cable fly equipment.
Knowing which works for you can help you to strengthen your upper body and reduce chest fat effectively.
Steps To Get It Done.
Equipment : Cable machine.
Before you begin, set both pulleys directly or slightly above your shoulder height and select the desired weight.
Start by grabbing both handles with a regular grip and take a step with one leg forward and one leg back.
Press the cables out until your hands meet at the center while keeping your chest upright and abs tight.
Next, allow the arms to open in a controlled manner with a slight bend on your elbows as your chest stretches.
Then, bring your hands together while flexing your chest muscles. Continue by opening your arms and squeezing your chest muscles. Repeat as many as possible.
3. Bench Press.
The bench press is an ideal exercise that mainly works your pecs and upper limb muscles.
It is perfect for lean muscle gain and reducing chest fat while building upper body strength.
Steps To Get It Done.
Equipment : Bench and a Barbell.
Start by lying on a bench, flat on your back. Grab a barbell over your chest with both hands, slightly wider than your shoulder-width.
Fix your feet flat on the ground, and your hips press against the bench.
Next, gradually lift the bar by pulling your shoulder blades together and arching your back. Breathe out as you lower the bar to your chest, maintaining your elbow bent at a 45-degree angle.
Continue by slowly lifting back up and repeat as many reps as possible.
4. Cable Crossover.
The cable crossover is a cable fly variation to strengthen the muscles of the upper chest area. It primarily targets your pecs and engages your anterior deltoids.
Cable crossover can help you gain more muscles and build strength. It can also tone the muscle around your chest and underneath your arms to reduce chest fat.
Steps To Get It Done.
Equipment : Cable Crossover Machine.
Start by standing with your left leg forward and your right leg back, your body facing forward, and your back to the machine.
With your hips steady, grab the handles and slowly bring both pulleys all the way forward until your arms cross into an X shape.
Keep your chest straight and core tight.
Then, open your arms and stretch your chest with elbows slightly bent. Repeat as many as you can.
5. Dumbbell Pullover.
The dumbbell pullover is an excellent workout for your chest and upper limb.
It mainly targets the pectoralis major and serratus anterior of your chest. It also engages your lats at your back as it helps increase upper body strength.
Steps To Get It Done.
Equipment : Bench and Dumbbell.
Start by lying on a bench, flat on your back, with your head almost hanging at the edge.
Secure the dumbbell with both hands and straighten your arms over your chest, with elbows slightly bent and palms facing each other.
Keep your abs and back steady as you lower the weights over your head. Keep your arms extended as low as you can for a few seconds, then slowly return your arms over your chest.
Repeat as many reps as possible.
6. Pec Deck.
A pec deck is technically a weight machine used for chest routines.
It works by squeezing some muscles on the upper parts of the body and activating the pectoralis muscles and serratus anterior.
The pec deck exercise helps build up power and strength on your chest muscles and upper body.
Steps To Get It Done.
Equipment : Pec Deck Machine.
Position by sitting on the machine with your head and back pressed against the back pad. Keep your feet flat on the ground. Place your forearms on the vertical pads so you can grab the handles with your hands.
Start by squeezing your chest and pulling your arms together to the center of your body. Then, slowly release the tension by reversing the movement until your chest is fully stretched out as in the starting position.
Repeat as many reps as possible.
7. Straight Bar Dips.
The straight bar dip is a challenging chest dip variation that works primarily on your pecs and upper limb muscles.
It is an excellent workout to enhance upper body strength and improve hand grip.
Steps To Get It Done.
Equipment : Straight Bar Dip Station or Dip Machine.
Start by stepping up on a straight bar dip station and grabbing the bar with thumbs facing in.
Lower yourself into a dip by unlocking and bending your elbows until your forearms are almost parallel to the ground.
In a controlled manner, drive back to the starting position by pushing through your palms.
Repeat as many as you can.
Are Chest Workouts Effective To Burn Male Chest Fat Or Man Boobs?
Chest workouts may be an effective way to burn male chest fat or what others call man boobs.
However, understanding the causes of male chest fat can help us craft ways to reduce those awkward excess fats.
Most men may think that a poor lifestyle causes too much fat on their chest. It may be true at some point. However, a medical condition called gynecomastia can be a reason for this.
Gynecomastia is a word to describe an increase in the development of breast tissue in men caused mainly by hormonal imbalance, such as having high levels of estrogen or deficient levels of testosterone [2].
However, some cases of gynecomastia may not be fixed by a simple weight loss diet and workout regime [3]. Men with such cases might be recommended for both cosmetic and hormone replacement to treat imbalances.
On the other hand, pseudo gynecomastia or fake gynecomastia has nothing to do with hormones. It is natural for men to store extra fat in the chest area, which seems to look like man boobs.
Although pseudo gynecomastia can also be readily resolved through liposuction and diet, weight loss exercises [4] may improve this condition by decreasing your overall body fat to reduce chest fat.
To sum it up, chest workouts can effectively help promote male chest fat. But since everyone is shaped by genetics differently, results may not be the same for all.
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Are You Going to Try These Chest Fat Exercises?
Chest exercises can enhance overall body fat burning by consistent practice with other upper body workouts and healthy living.
The point being, aiming to reduce chest fat is no different from losing fat in other areas of your body. It should come as part of overall body fat loss.
And while chest exercises can help with that, they can also tone and make your chest area firm and maintain your body in good shape.
So, no time for worries. Just start your chest routines today.
Also, plan a diet that can help balance your hormones and take proper supplements to boost your workout. You are sure to improve your heart health and gain a well-defined chest.
10 Types of Cardio Workouts For Fat Loss (That Actually Work)
The best types of cardio to aid in weight loss are either low-impact, low intensity cardio like rowing, incline walking, and biking, or HIIT workouts implemented in small doses such as kickboxing, interval training, and weight training.
It is important to note that cardio is the third most important variable during a weight loss phase. The most important variables are (1) eating so that you are in a slight calorie deficit and (2) weight training to increase your metabolism and prevent muscle loss.
In this article, we will first discuss if cardio is needed for your weight loss plan, and if so, what types of cardio are best for fat loss.
Is Cardio Necessary for Weight Loss?
No, performing cardio is not necessary for weight loss.
Being in a calorie deficit (mainly through diet) is by far the most effective way to lose weight, and is a necessary part of a weight loss plan. Check out our nutrition guide on weight loss .
If you are doing cardio, yet eating to put your body in a calorie surplus, your weight will not decrease. You may find that you can eat and workout, and lose fat and gain muscle (especially for beginners or individuals who have more body fat). However being in a calorie deficit is necessary for weight loss.
Dieting is stressful on muscle tissue, and therefore, if you are aggressively dieting and also not training hard with weights, there is an increased likelihood that you will end up losing weight that is predominantly from muscle loss (and some fat).
This of course, is not ideal because the more muscle you lose, your appearance will still be soft and not toned, and your metabolism will drop due to muscle loss (making long term weight loss and keeping the lost weight off, increasingly more difficult).
Therefore, cardio can be used sparingly throughout a diet and workout regimen to aid in increasing calorie expenditure. However, it is not necessary — I lost almost 15lbs using Fitbod and got absolutely lean while doing minimal cardio.
By prioritizing eating properly and making sure you are in a SLIGHT calorie deficit that is progressively and conservatively increasing over a period of 8-12 weeks, and making sure to train hard with weights to not lose strength and muscle tissue, you could have amazing results.
If you find you need to still burn a little more calories and don’t want to cut out calories from your diet, you could add low-impact, lower intensity cardio to your training plan in small amounts.
Excessive Cardio Can Increase Muscle Loss.
Cardio does little to help build muscle, and could actually lead to muscle loss when done in high volumes and/or at high intensities (if combined with a calorically restricted diet).
When looking to lose weight, you need to reframe your approach to try to lose as much body fat as you can, rather than scale weight (weight on the scale can come from fat loss, muscle loss, waste loss, and water loss).
Making sure to eat properly, stay hydrated, and lift weights as your primary weight loss training variable is most likely your best approach to losing fat and maintaining as much muscle as you can.
10 Best Types of Cardio to Aid in Weight Loss.
The 10 best types of cardio for weight loss are:
Note that many of them are low impact, and can be done at low intensity (this is actually recommended when you are looking to lose fat and preserve muscle mass).
However using HIIT in very small doses could be useful too. We’ve published several HIIT articles that you can check out for further reading:
Should You Do HIIT Every Day? (5 things to Consider) 3 Differences Between LISS Cardio And HIIT (#3 Is Cool) Beginner HIIT Treadmill Workout: Starting With HIIT Cardio Can HIIT Make You Sick? (Yes, Here’s Why & How To Avoid) Can You Do HIIT And Weight Training On The Same Day? Can HIIT Be Done With Weights? (Yes, There Are 4 Rules)
1. Incline Walking.
This is probably one of the best options for those who love running yet want to limit the amount of impact they are putting on their body.
Inclined walking can burn just as many calories as running, if not more, and can also improve running form and muscle endurance.
The incline forces you to lift your legs higher (increased leg drive) and can help prevent overreaching with your stride (can happen during running and result in knee pain).
You can even jog on an incline or do HIIT workouts in small doses if you want to get very similar training effects, if not more, than simply going out for a run.
Calories Burned Incline Walking.
The average number of calories burned in 1-hour of brisk incline walking is between 224-310 calories.
2. Stair Climber.
The stair climber is a low impact form of cardio that can be a great way to improve muscle endurance of the legs, glutes, and calves.
For heavier individuals or those who wear weighted vests, this can also be a good way to increase strength endurance.
This can also make walking or hiking more enjoyable as you will develop greater leg endurance that you can unleash on the trails after training the stair climber.
Calories Burned Stair Climbing.
The average number of calories burned in 1-hour of walking on the stairmaster is between 360-520 calories.
3. Rowing.
Rowing is a low impact, high-intensity form of cardio that can increase leg endurance and pulling power.
Unlike other forms of cardio, rowing offers the added benefit of performing rows with the upper body making this a total body cardio movement that targets the legs, core, and back muscles (and some biceps).
While this doesn’t build muscle like weights, it can offer some muscle endurance if that is something you are after.
Calories Burned Rowing.
The average number of calories burned in 1-hour of brisk rowing is between 420-623 calories.
4. Assault Bike.
This low impact, varied intensity type of cardio is a great option for all levels of lifters.
The low impact nature of this exercise makes it great for beginners and individuals who may have knee or lower back issues.
It’s also a great way to decrease muscle loss potentially caused by higher impact exercises (when done in volumes that impede recovery and weight training progressions).
You can do long slow steady state work, or you can incorporate HIIT to help burn more calories in less time, build leg power output, and increase muscle endurance of the lower body and arms (shoulders and chest).
Calories Burned Assault Bike.
The average number of calories burned on the assault bike is between 20-30 calories per minute if you’re doing a moderate-fast pace, which is far higher than other forms of cardio.
5. Weight Training.
Resistance training is an essential part of losing weight, and increasing the likelihood that the weight you lose is predominantly body fat (as opposed to muscle loss).
When weight training, you build muscle which can help increasing your metabolism, which means you’ll be able to eat more during your diet and lose weight (as opposed to not weight training).
Calories Burned Weight Training.
The average number of calories burned in 1-hour of weight training is between 360-504 calories.
6. Boxing.
Boxing is a great way to burn calories, increase shoulder, back, and core endurance, while also limiting the amount of impact on the lower body.
This is also a more interactive cardio workout than running on a treadmill, which may help you enjoy your workouts more if you find sitting on a bike or running impalpable.
Calories Burned Boxing.
The average number of calories burned in a high intensity 1-hour boxing class is between 600-800 calories.
7. Kickboxing.
This is a great form of total-body high intensity, high impact cardiovascular training.
Like boxing, this can help increase core strength, muscle endurance of the shoulders, legs, backs, and core, and also help you increase power production when throwing with maximal or near maximal intensity.
This is also a multi-planar form of cardio, which can help increase athleticism and movement; in addition to also doubling as a great form of self-defense training.
Calories Burned Kickboxing.
The average number of calories burned in a high intensity 1-hour kickboxing class is between 600-800 calories.
8. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
BJJ can be both low intensity or high intensity depending on the level you are training.
For many beginners who start training BJJ, this can be a great way to increase movement, help address basic conditioning, and can be a good way to get “cardio” in while also learning a new skill.
Increased strength (from grappling) and body control are also added benefits of BJJ, in addition to burning a ton of calories.
Calories Burned BJJ.
The average number of calories burned in an average BJJ class is 706 calories, so long as it includes constant movement and not practicing technique.
9. Increase Daily Steps Count.
While this may seem basic, this is one of the most effective ways to increase calorie expenditure .
By increasing your non-exercise activities (walking more, taking the stairs, riding bikes, increasing daily step counts) you can increase your daily calorie expenditure without needing to slave away at the gym as much.
This is something anyone can do, doesn’t require you to sweat, and can help improve mood, not increase appetite (unlike hard workouts, and decrease stress (unlike hard workouts).
Calories Burned Increasing Daily Step Count.
Most people burn 30-40 calories per 1,000 steps they walk, meaning they’ll burn 300 to 400 calories by walking 10,000 steps.
10. Running.
I listed running last because this may be one of the most overused and abused forms of cardio out there. Running isn’t bad, however it can be when people first aim to lose weight and go from the couch to running 5 miles a day.
Running has a high impact, and can lead to injuries if someone is not ready for the impact or stress of the body pounding the pavement. Additionally, running is high-impact and could increase muscle loss, especially in the lower body.
Lastly, running is not any more effective at burning calories than any other of these forms above when you standardize the intensity at which they are performed.
If your heart rate gets to 160 while running, rowing, or biking, the calorie expense is very similar (however the risk of muscle loss and stress to the body is much higher in running due to the high impact nature of running).
Calories Burned.
If you maintain a six-mile per hour pace, then the average person will burn up to 557 calories in one hour of running.
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Final Thoughts.
When looking to lose weight, it is first important to recognize the role of cardio in the weight loss formula.
When weight loss and fat loss is the name of the game, you need to first get on a sound diet program that places you in a slight calorie deficit over the course of 6-12 weeks. This deficit should be paired with a weight training program that trains most muscle groups twice per week to ensure minimal muscle loss.
Cardio can be used to help increase calorie expenditure if you are needing to lose weight with the current routine, and do not want to manipulate calories eaten yet.
Like anything, if you begin to perform excessive cardio, especially high impact cardio, and are doing this instead of weight training, you will shift most of your weight loss to higher proportion of muscle loss rather than solely fat loss.
About The Author.
Mike holds a Master’s in Exercise Physiology and a Bachelor’s in Exercise Science. He’s a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), USA Weightlifting Advanced Coach, and has over 10+ years of experience working with collegiate athletes, national level lifters, and beginners alike. Mike is Founder of J2FIT Strength and Conditioning, a growing global training company with gyms in New York City, Cincinnati, and online offering personal training, online custom coaching programs.
Best exercise to burn chest fat - Best fat burn exercises
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